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Day 349: Trapped piece

Lesson of the day

Trapping a piece means the attacked piece has no safe square left — it simply perishes. Do not chase it around; build a cage instead: cut off the escape squares with pawns and pieces first, and attack last. The typical victim has wandered deep into your camp or is stuck at the edge of the board, where its mobility is tiny. And always check the way home for your own raiders — or the trapped piece will be yours.

Warm-up

1. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to e5 (d4·94)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: pawn to f4 (f3·4)Shuffle Rating 970Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to e4 (b1·10)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to c5 (c1·7)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to b4 (f4·2)Shuffle Rating 970Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e4 (g5·3)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to c6 (c7)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: rook to a6 (b6)Shuffle Rating 970Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to h8 (a1·23)Shuffle Rating 780Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to f8 (f1·11)Shuffle Rating 920Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Core set

11. Winning blow: rook to d1 (e1·8)Shuffle Rating 1250Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: pawn to h3 (h2·4)Shuffle Rating 1250Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Winning blow: pawn to d3 (d2·4)Shuffle Rating 1250Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: pawn to e5 (e4·5)Shuffle Rating 1250Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: pawn to c4 (c2·3)Shuffle Rating 1250Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 2: knight to d7Shuffle Rating 1090Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 2: king to d1Shuffle Rating 1090Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: bishop to a4 (c2)Shuffle Rating 1090Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: queen to c7 (c8)Shuffle Rating 1090Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: rook to a8 (a7)Shuffle Rating 1090Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to h5 (e5)Shuffle Rating 1090Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 2: rook to h8 (c8)Shuffle Rating 1090Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to d6 (f5·19)Shuffle Rating 1090Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d8 (h4·3)Shuffle Rating 1090Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: queen to c6 (e8)Shuffle Rating 1090Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Challenge

26. Winning blow: queen to c1 (d1·3)Shuffle Rating 1200Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
27. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to h4 (d4)Shuffle Rating 1290Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
28. Winning blow: queen to g7 (e5·5)Shuffle Rating 1290Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Review

29. Mate in 1: pin on g3 (h5)Shuffle Rating 1204Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
30. Mate in 2: queen to e7Shuffle Rating 1090Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation

Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!

Day 350 →